Large Tankers Crowd the Straits of Malacca and Singapore

Each year more than 120,000 vessels pass through the narrow, shallow Straits of Malacca and Singapore. For more than 40 years, the Nippon Foundation has provided support to ensure the safety and protect the environment of the Straits, which are a veritable “lifeline of Japan” because nearly 90% of the country’s crude oil imports arrive via this route. The photographs below show the congestion in the Straits caused by the large number of oil tankers and other vessels.